1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a system and method for deploying a restraint system in a vehicle.
2. Background Art
Vehicles employ accelerometers that measure vehicle deceleration in response to a crash and deploy a restraint system in response to the vehicle deceleration. In addition, vehicles may use mechanical velocity sensors to confirm a crash and deploy airbags based on confirmation signals generated from the mechanical velocity sensors. Such devices are generally used for passive restraint systems, such as airbags and seatbelt systems.
Pre-crash sensing systems may include the use of radar, lidar and vision sensing devices to perform object classification. Automotive manufacturers are beginning to recognize the need to implement a pre-crash sensing system that is adapted towards deploying a restraint system prior to actual impact. Such a system generally needs a high degree of confidence in collision prediction to ensure that the deployment of the restraint system occurs when the vehicle is experiencing an unavoidable collision.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a system and method for deploying a restraint system at an optimal time before actual vehicle impact. It would also be desirable to provide a system for predicting the time of impact based on pre-crash data and deploying the restraint system at the optimal time before vehicle impact to ensure that the restraint system is deployed at an early stage to reduce occupant injury.